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The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.

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Children's Dental Care

Florida Department of Health in Columbia County Dental

386-752-9914
Fax: 386-758-3900
 
Office Hours
Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
 
Summer Hours
Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Thank you for choosing the Florida Department of Health in Columbia County Dental Program as your child’s dental care provider. The dental program aspires to help your child achieve excellent oral health. 

We have two different dental programs providing services in our community.

Providers

Dentist

  • Phuc-Hau Nguyen, DMD

Dental Hygienists

  • Lisa Swisher, RDH
  • Phoebe Nipper, RDH
  • Brandy Hunt, RDH
  • Lara Wehrli, RDH
  • Mary McGrath, RDH
  
 

Miles of Smiles Dental Bus

This program provides diagnostic, preventive, and restorative dental services.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Medicaid children ages 0-18 with DentaQuest, Liberty Dental, or MCNA Dental coverage
  • Florida Healthy Kids children 0-18 with DentaQuest or Liberty Dental
  • At certain times of the year, the dental bus will be visiting the local elementary schools to see children with a dental consent signed by a parent or guardian. Other times, it will be stationed at the Florida Department of Health in Columbia County for dental appointments.

mobile dental bus

Dental Services Provided

We do not provide orthodontics, oral surgery, extraction of wisdom teeth, root canals, permanent crowns, bridges, or dentures.

We do not have nitrous oxide (laughing gas) or any other form of sedation. Our list of services can be found below.

  • Dental Examination
  • Prophylaxis (cleanings)
  • Oral hygiene instructions
  • Fluoride varnish
  • Dental sealants
  • Dental x-rays
  • Fillings
  • Extractions
  • Pulpotomies
  • Stainless steel crowns
  • Referrals as needed
 

School-Based Sealant Program

The school-based dental sealant program offers preventive dental services to children in the public school system, some private schools, and daycares, at no cost to the parent/guardians. 

A licensed dental hygienist takes portable dental equipment to the schools to provide services onsite.

Image of the dental chair used at the school based sealant program

Eligibility Requirements

ALL students in the public school system are able to receive services when a dental consent form is signed by a parent/guardian. Consent forms are distributed at schools.

Dental Services Provided:

  • Dental screening/assessment
  • Oral hygiene instructions
  • Fluoride varnish
  • Dental sealants, as needed

Dental Sealants 

A sealant is a thin plastic coating that keeps food and germs out of the chewing surfaces of the teeth and helps protect teeth from getting cavities. 

image of dental sealant

Sealants are primarily placed on permanent molars but can be placed on any tooth with a groove. 

  

Appointments

Please make every effort to arrive at your appointment on time. If you are more than 10 minutes late to an appointment, you may be asked to reschedule the appointment.

If you are unable to keep an appointment, please notify us at least 24 hours in advance so that we may offer this appointment time to another patient.

Repeated no-shows may result in dismissal from the dental program.